Hay-distributing apparatus.



P. L. FORBES. HAY DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28; 1911.

Patented Apr. 30,1918.

mm was m PERCY LLOYD FORBES, OF WEST MIDDLESEX, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAY-DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS.

recai'ri.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. so, 4918.

Application filed June 28, 1917. Serial No. 177,477.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, PERCY LLOYD Forums,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of lVest Middlesex, in the county of Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, have, invented an Improvement in Hay-Distributing Apparatus; and I do hereby testify that the following is a complete and concise description of the aforesaid improvement, as attested by the annexed drawings and figures, which form a part of this specification.

My invention pertains to an improvement in hay-distributing apparatus and is directed to a speed regulator operated in caroperation with a switch and inclined side tracks substantially as described in Letters Patent Number 1,216,558 granted to me February 20, 1917.

One of the objects of my invention is to secure uniformity in rate of descent of a loaded car along inclined side tracks by means of rotating friction blocks operated in conjunction with a counterweight. A further object of my invention resides in means for returning unburdened car to horizontal track at a uniform rate of speed. Other objects and purposes of my invention will be revealed from examination of the drawings, the specification describing the same, and the claims appended thereto, in which are presented the structural elements by whose combination the operation of the mechanism is secured.

I attain these objects by means of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the apparatus in operation. Fig. 2 is a side view of speed regulator and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View of the same.

Referring now to the several figures of my invention in which like reference characters designate like parts, 44 is a spider, cast with six equilateral and equiangular arms, which may be keyed or bolted to shaft 53. At the end of each spider arm is a rotating friction block 47. The spring 46 and nut 45 serve to prevent the friction block from contacting with spider housing 42 when apparatus is stationary or being operated at slow rate of speed. The bracket and shaft bearing 41 may be placed so as to secure the speed regulator inposition desired to effect its successful operation. The

spider housing 42 which is cast in two equal parts is combined and unified by bolts 48 and prevented from rotating by bolts 49 which securely conjoin it with bracket 41, as embodied in Fig. 3.

With reference now to the several elements of Fig. 1, showing apparatus in operation, 51 represents counterweight rope, with counterweight 27 attached thereto, which is fastened to the carriage 18. When the carriage with its burden is drawn along horizontal track and'begins its descent along inclined side track, the counterweight rope 51, circumvolving the drive pulley 43, sets in rotation the spider 44 and rotating friction blocks 47. As the carriage descends along inclined track with increasing speed and momentum, the rotation of the speed regulator is increased correspondingly and proportionally. With the increase of speed of regulator, the force of the spring 46 is neutralized by centrifugal force and the six friction blocks gradually contact with spider housing 42, the force of contact and resulting friction being directly proportional to the weight of the burden on the car, the angle of descent of inclined tracks and the augmentation of speed of regulator resulting therefrom. contemporaneously with the conjunction of the friction blocks 47 with splder housing 42, the speed and momentum of the descending car is decreased and a uniform rate of descent is secured.

When the car has reached the terminus of its downward course along inclined track and its burden has been released, the friction between rotating friction blocks and spider housing is obviated by the force of the spring 46. Then the counterweight 27, attached to rope 51 and operating around drive pulley 43 and guide pulleys 50, draws the unburdened car upward along inclined track and along horizontal track to original position. As the unburdened car gains momentum in its upward course, the speed regulator checks its speed, substantially as in its downward course, and thus provides a uniform rate of speed in both descent and ascent of car along inclined and horizontal tracks.

The weight of the counterweight 27, the material and construction of the counterweight rope 51 and drive pulley 43, and the number and security of counterweight rope guide pulleys 50, is regulated by the requirements of the building in which the apparatus may be installed and the use to which its operation may be directed.

Having described and elucidated the details of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In an improvement in hay-distributing apparatus, a speed regulator, comprising a fixed housing and a rotating spider, six arms equilaterally and equiangularly arranged With respect to the axis of said spider, and friction blocks attached to said arms and designed for rotation relatively thereto and for engagement with said housing.

2., The combination, in an improvement in hay-distributing apparatus, of a rotating spider with six arms and friction blocks attached thereto, a stationary circular housing designed to inclose said rotating spider, and a braking surface on inner face of said housing, comprising within the scope of the same means for insuring uniformity in rate Copies of this patent may be obtained for of descent of a loaded car along inclined tracks, through co-action with centrifugal force.

3. The combination, in an improvement in hay-distributing appa 'atus, of a speed regulator having a rotating spider and friction blocks attached thereto, a stationary spider housing inclosing said rotating spider, and a counterweight operating in cooperation with counterweight rope and pulleys, the same comprising means for returning an unburdened car to original position I on horizontal track at a uniform rate of speed, substantially as, and for the purposes described.

To certify that the above specification is correct, I have hereunto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PERCY LLOYD fliORBl lS.

\Vitnesses W. V. JOHNSON, C. MIMER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. O. 

